A novel approach of epithelial regeneration during wound healing based on the concept of EMT-MET

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16032
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53050:Dermatology-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: KOIKE Yuta 長崎大学, 病院(医学系), 講師 (10530412)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 皮膚再生学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our purpose of this study is to elucidate the molecular mechanism of wound healing from the viewpoint of "epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)" and "mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET)" and find a new therapeutic target for intractable skin ulcer. In a mouse skin wound model, administration of FGF2 promoted wound healing process and activated EMT in epidermal keratinocytes at wound edge, accompanied by general upregulation EMT-related molecules in the wound tissue. In addition, study with a human epidermal keratinocyte model revealed that FGF2 might induce EMT in cooperation with TGFβ1 to accelerate wound healing.

Free Research Field

皮膚科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

創傷治癒過程で最も重要な因子は、表皮角化細胞の足場となる良質な肉芽の形成である。それゆえ臨床の場で皮膚潰瘍に対して使用されている外用薬は、肉芽の生育を主な目的としている。一方、肉芽形成良好であるが再上皮化しない難治性皮膚潰瘍も多数ある。本研究は創傷の再上皮化過程、特に表皮角化細胞のEMT-METを詳細に解析したものであり、今後の発展によっては再上皮化困難な皮膚潰瘍の治療ターゲットを見つけ出すことも可能であろう。